Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin, USA for the past two years has been offering a stainless steel welding certificate at its Marshfield campus with the intention to train a workforce to ensure that Marshfield remains a hotbed of stainless steel fabrication.
The certificate takes about four months to complete, with students able to enter into the workforce or continue their training and earn an associate degree in welding through the college’s Wisconsin Rapids campus. The instructors are certified welders who practice the trade for a living so students receive a real-world type training. Students can enter the program throughout the year, with the program having staggered starting times outside of the traditional semester schedule of most colleges and universities. After a couple of orientation and training sessions, students work at their own pace during eight open lab sessions throughout the week with three trainers.
Local manufacturers use the program as a resource explained Ronald Zillmer who is the associate dean for technical and industrial education at MSTC. “Some of our students have received job offers while still completing the program. We work pretty closely with employers, too, and sometimes we work with them so students can finish their competencies on the job. Stainless steel manufacturers have commented that they are pleased with the level of skill and knowledge graduates from the program arrive with.